Rap Music Star Nas Drops Plan to Use N-Word in Album Title

NEW YORK – Rap music star Nas won't title his new album "N*gger" after all, despite insisting last year that he would, Billboard reports.

Nas recently told MTV that he was being pressured to change the title.

"It's important to me that this album gets to the fans," the rapper said, according to Billboard. ".... The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it."

Rumors swirled online on Monday that the album, to be released July 1 from Def Jam, would be called "Nas," but as of right now it is still untitled.

Last year, Nas announced the original album title in response to the stir caused by former CBS radio host Don Imus' comments toward the Rutgers women's basketball team.

"(People) shouldn't trip off the (album's) title; the songs are crazier than the title," he said in an interview posted on MTV's Web site.

But some were outraged by the rapper's choice.

"The title using the 'N' word is morally offensive and socially distasteful. Nas has the right to degrade and denigrate in the name of free speech, but there is no honor in it," the Rev. Jesse Jackson said in a news release. "Radio and television stations have no obligation to play it and self-respecting people have no obligation to buy it. I wish he would use his talents to lift up and inspire, not degrade."

Nas also said at the time that his intent in naming the album the N-word was to take the sting out of it.

"We're taking power from the word," he added. "No disrespect to none of them who were part of the civil rights movement, but some ... in the streets don't know who (civil rights activist) Medgar Evers was ... they know who Nas is," the rapper said, referring to the civil rights leader slain in the 1960s.

"And to my older people who don't know who Nas is and who don't know what a street disciple is, stay outta this (expletive) conversation. We'll talk to you when we're ready. Right now, we're on a whole new movement. We're taking power from that word."